Multi-marker Urine Test for Detection of Aggressive Prostate Cancer
EMSL Project ID
50078
Abstract
In prostate cancer disease management over-diagnosis and over-treatment have increasingly become major public concerns. Prostate cancer is primarily detected by serum PSA screening followed by a transrectal ultrasound guided biopsy for those with abnormal PSA. However, a majority of those biopsied have no cancer (over-diagnosis). Furthermore, many cancer patients would undergo aggressive therapy for tumors with low malignant potential (low risk). Therefore, the needs for better non-invasive biomarkers are urgent for specific detection of high risk cancer and for monitoring tumor progression for low risk patients under active surveillance so that the number of painful biopsies can be greatly reduced. This DOD funded project aims at developing a so-called “liquid biopsy” based on a protein-based multi-marker urine test that is equivalent or better than a physical biopsy for cancer detection and risk stratification. We believe that a multi-marker test will be the most promising to counter the heterogeneous nature of the disease, where single markers fail. A multi-marker urine test is highly attractive because prostate cancer cells and cancer-associated proteins are released into urine. The past challenge for the development of multi-marker tests is the lack of sensitive technologies to measure multiple analytes and the lack of ability to distinguish specific protein isoforms. We have developed unique highly sensitive mass spectrometry technologies to enable multiplexed quantification of specific protein isoforms that exist at very low concentrations in urine by secretion. The multiplexed and isoform-specific quantification of secreted protein products in urine is particularly innovative because this cannot be achieved by traditional immunoassays. Our integrative strategy starting from cancer cell type specific transcriptome profiling to highly sensitive multiplexed quantification of secreted protein products in urine provides a highly promising approach for identifying multi-marker panels for the detection of high risk prostate cancer and for eventual development of a multi-marker urine test for disease stratification.
Project Details
Start Date
2017-10-24
End Date
2019-09-30
Status
Closed
Released Data Link
Team
Principal Investigator
Team Members